The next day, Rivendell received surprising news.

One of the patrols had ventured close to Nangobel, and the elves stationed there gave them a message for Elrond. Heredil had joined the patrols, wanting nothing more than to capture the man who had hurt Legolas, and he was the one who brought the message back.

Thranduil, Legolas, the twins, and Aragorn watched as Elrond unfolded the scroll and read it. His eyebrows immediately shot up.

"What does it say?" said Thranduil, moving to read it.

"A member of the group that attacked Legolas has apparently been seen in Nangobel," said Elrond. "He says that Tanek took his own life."

Legolas and Aragorn looked at each other, shocked.

"Do we have proof of this?" said Thranduil. "Was the man captured?"

"No," said Heredil. "A village resident apparently came upon him unexpectedly and was told the news. The man fled and was not caught."

"Did the man say why Tanek took his life?" asked Elladan.

Elrond nodded, handing him the message. "Because we 'killed' his brother."

Thranduil suddenly started walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Heredil asked, heading after him.

"To ready myself to go back with you," he said. "I wish to speak to the village residents myself."

"Ada—" said Elrohir, wishing to go as well.

"No!" said Elrond. "Tanek's men have obviously split up, and could be anywhere; the four of you will remain here where it is safe. None of you are going, so do not ask again."

The twins both sighed.

"Ada, wait!" Legolas exclaimed, pushing himself off the bed and limping towards him.

Thranduil stopped just before walking out the door, and he turned and crossed the distance between him and his son, so that Legolas wouldn't have to walk far. "What?"

Legolas pulled his arm out of the sling and stiffly wrapped his arms around his father.

Thranduil smiled as he gently hugged him back.

"Be careful," Legolas said, his voice slightly muffled in the King's robes.

"You needn't fear for me, my son," Thranduil answered.

Legolas nodded and slowly pulled back, trying to hide a wince.

Thranduil and Heredil both smiled at Legolas before leaving the room.

A hand suddenly took Legolas' broken arm, and the Mirkwood Prince turned to see that it was Elrond.

The healer gave the younger elf a look as if to say, 'did I say that you could take your arm out of the sling?'

Aragorn, standing nearby with the twins, couldn't help but chuckle.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Legolas stood on a balcony overlooking the gate to Imladris. Night was close to falling and he was alone, to his surprise and relief.

Suddenly, horses appeared, approaching the gate. They came at a very fast pace, and Legolas felt his heart grow cold.

Turning, he limped back into the house and headed for the main door, reaching it faster than he thought possible with his still aching body. Elrond and his sons were already there, and they opened the door to a terrible sight.

Heredil stood there holding the limp form of Thranduil. Blood covered the King's clothes and his eyes were shut.

"Ada!" Legolas shouted, moving forward and grabbing onto him, ignoring the pain in his still-healing arm. "Ada!"

Thranduil made no reply…Legolas wasn't even sure that he lived…

"Legolas!"

With a start, Legolas jerked awake, eyes opened wide as he breathed heavily.

Aragorn watched him with concern, gently holding his friend's arms. "Are you all right?"

Legolas gave no answer, suddenly trying to get off the bed.

"Legolas!" said Aragorn, holding him down. "Where are you going!"

"Ada!" Legolas answered, fighting to get away. "Does he live? Will he be all right?"

Aragorn frowned, loosening his hold on his weaker friend. "What? He went with Heredil to Nangobel. They have not yet returned."

At those words, the elf seemed to come to full awareness. He stopped struggling, looking around the room.

"Legolas?" said Aragorn, frowning.

The Mirkwood Prince closed his eyes with a weary sigh. "A dream."

"A nightmare," said Aragorn, letting go of the elf. "You suddenly called out for your father. Your voice was very panicked, my friend."

Legolas sighed.

Aragorn reached over for the pitcher of water on the nightstand, pouring some into a glass and handing it to his friend.

Legolas drank it gratefully. "Thank you."

Aragorn nodded in reply.

Legolas looked towards the window, seeing that it appeared to be evening.

"I came to see if you wanted to come downstairs for dinner," Aragorn said.

Legolas sat up, eager to leave his room. "Oh yes."

Aragorn gave him a hand up, and Legolas made sure that he was presentable before they left the room, slowly making their way to the dining hall.

Everyone at the table looked up and smiled when they saw Legolas.

"How are you feeling this night, penneth?" Elrond asked.

"I am well," Legolas said. "And very glad to have dinner here rather than in my room."

Elrond smiled.

"Ada finally thinks that you can feed yourself now," said Elrohir, earning himself a smack from Elladan. "With one hand, anyway!"

Legolas gave the younger twin a mock-annoyed look, before smiling slightly. The wound in his left shoulder had healed sufficiently where he could use the arm without excessive pain, but the break in his right arm was naturally slower to heal. He would need to eat with his left hand instead, but he'd had practice doing that in the past for many different reasons.

Everyone watched as Legolas picked up a spoon and began eating his stew as if he had been born left-handed.

"I do not think that we wish to know why you are able to do that with such ease," said Elladan.

Legolas smiled as he swallowed. "It's always my right arm," he said, referring to injuries.

"Aye, either that or your head," said Aragorn.

Legolas smiled, slowly eating his stew.

"I do not see the humor in such words," said Elrond, sadly.

"Neither do we," said Aragorn. "I was merely stating a fact."

Dinner was a lively affair, but everyone could see that something was bothering Legolas.

"What troubles your mind, penneth?" Elrond asked.

Legolas looked at him, realizing that he'd drifted away from the conversation. "Nothing," he said.

The older elf gave him The Look.

Legolas reached for a piece of bread. "I am fine," he said with a sigh. "I merely had a disturbing dream."

"What was it?" Elladan asked.

Legolas dipped his bread in a bowl of honey. "My father returned from Nangobel…in less than pristine condition," he said, not wishing to go into detail.

Everyone shot him sympathetic looks.

"There is no reason to assume that they will not return in the same condition that they were in when they left," said Elrond.

Legolas sighed. "What if this was a trap," he whispered, pushing his remaining food around.

Everyone stared at him, before looking at each other with alarm.

"What if they did this to me to draw him out of Mirkwood," Legolas said to Elrond. The fear in the younger elf's eyes was evident.

Elrond said nothing, unsure how to answer. He couldn't dispute the possible validity of Legolas' words.

"We are sure that he's fine, Legolas," said Elladan, ever hoping to calm his friend's nerves.

Legolas sighed, saying nothing.

Aragorn reached out a hand and placed it on the elf's shoulder, giving silent support.

"The only thing that we can do is wait for them to return," said Elrond. "Do not worry when it is not yet justified."

Legolas nodded, though everyone knew that it would be impossible for the elf not to worry. He stood from his seat and excused himself, leaving the room as fast as his still-recovering body allowed him.

He soon found himself standing on the very balcony that had been in his dream, and it felt strange, as if his dream was becoming reality.

Further proof of the fact presented itself when Legolas suddenly saw riders approaching. A stab of fear hit his stomach and he turned around quickly, unexpectedly colliding with Aragorn, who he hadn't realized had come after him. He was so surprised at the human's presence that he unwillingly let out a surprised gasp.

Aragorn didn't know that he hadn't heard him coming, and he grabbed his friend's arms when the elf smacked into him.

"They have returned!" Legolas exclaimed, trying to get out of the human's grasp.

Aragorn loosened the hold on his friend and they both quickly made their way to the main door of the house. Elrond was already there, standing in the open doorway.

Legolas felt dizzy with relief when he saw his father walk in. "Ada!"

Thranduil looked at his son, puzzled at the expression on Legolas' face.

Legolas wrapped his arms around his father, closing his eyes with a relieved sigh.

Thranduil returned the embrace, wondering at his son's reaction to his return. "What is it, Greenleaf?"

Legolas sighed again. "I feared that you had been drawn into a trap."

Thranduil shook his head, smoothing his son's hair. "No, ion-nin, there was no snare laid for me."

Legolas pulled back, giving the King a sheepish look. He felt foolish; that he was acting like a child.

Thranduil understood. Legolas had been through a traumatic experience and still was not quite himself. He wrapped his arm around his son's back, walking him away from the door and back towards his room.

Aragorn and the twins started to follow, but Elrond and Heredil, having the same thought, put out their arms to stop them, letting Legolas and his father be alone.

The two elves walked slowly, silent for a while before Legolas spoke. "What did you find out in Nangobel? Do you think that Tanek is really dead?"

Thranduil sighed. "I did not learn anything that we do not already know. The village was searched, and none of the humans were found within it. The man who had been told of Tanek's death had nothing further to tell us."

Legolas pulled away from his father slightly, moving towards a balcony.

Thranduil followed, tightening the grip on his son.

Legolas inhaled the warm breeze as he looked out over Imladris. He saw a sudden flash of something near the balcony to his own room, but nothing was there, so he assumed it to be a passing bird.

The two Mirkwood elves stood there for a minute, silently reflecting on the nerve-wracking situation.

"Come," Thranduil finally said. "You should rest."

Legolas made no protest—knowing that it would be useless—so he submitted as they walked the rest of the distance to his room.

When Thranduil opened the door, neither of them expected what happened next; a figure suddenly lashed out at them with a knife, aimed for Legolas.

Thranduil let go of his son and grabbed the human's arm, preventing Legolas from being stabbed, though the tip of the blade managed to leave a slice over the younger elf's collarbone.

Legolas was unprepared for the sudden assault, and the weakness that he still suffered from caused him to stumble.

Thranduil forcefully propelled the person back into the room, whacking the knife so that it flew from the killer's hand. He then quickly turned to Legolas, grabbing him and easing his son to sit on the floor. Seeing that the injury was not serious, he then rushed back into the room, locking the door behind himself to keep his son out of danger.

Legolas gasped, shocked at the sudden events. "ADA!"